1
: a physical contest or struggle : scuffle
2
: an intense argument, controversy, or struggle
Synonyms
Examples of tussle in a Sentence
Noun
The suspect was arrested after a tussle with a security guard.
a tussle for control of the company
The President is in for another tussle with Congress.
Verb
Two players tussled for the ball.
The residents of the neighborhood tussled with city hall for years about the broken parking meters.
Recent Examples on the Web
Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Asia, 26 June 2024
Blackburnian warblers, with throat feathers the color of flames, lock their feet and beaks together in a tussle.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 June 2024
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2024
Rose’s hard slide into second base during Game 3 of the playoff series between the Mets and Reds initiated a benches-clearing brawl — delivering a lasting image of the baserunner and the shortstop tussling on the Shea Stadium infield.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 11 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tussle 
Noun
Novo Nordisk is also currently in a legal tussle in China over the patent.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Asia, 26 June 2024
Blackburnian warblers, with throat feathers the color of flames, lock their feet and beaks together in a tussle.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 June 2024
Verb
The rest: There's a bunch tussling for the last two slots.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2024
Rose’s hard slide into second base during Game 3 of the playoff series between the Mets and Reds initiated a benches-clearing brawl — delivering a lasting image of the baserunner and the shortstop tussling on the Shea Stadium infield.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 11 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tussle
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tussle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near tussle
Cite this Entry
“Tussle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tussle. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tussle
2 of 2 noun1
: a physical contest or struggle
2
: a rough argument or a struggle against difficult odds
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